


A World Without Barry Allen

by areyoucoldflash (hellosterek)



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Barry doesn't actually make an appearance. He's just referred to., M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 19:24:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6127509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellosterek/pseuds/areyoucoldflash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In light of what happened in episode 1.06 "Star City 2046" of Legend's of Tomorrow. This is Len's reaction to Barry's absence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A World Without Barry Allen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kazzaspexy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kazzaspexy/gifts).
  * Translation into Русский available: [A World Without Barry Allen](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6245746) by [carteredaf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/carteredaf/pseuds/carteredaf)



> A prompt originally posted on [Tumblr](http://areyoucoldflash.tumblr.com/post/140166258321/prompted-by-kazza-spexy-to-do-a-ficlet-based-on), to do a ficlet based on [this post](http://kipsiih.tumblr.com/post/139791252649).

Len knew something was wrong the moment they got off the ship in 2046 and saw Star City in ruin. There was too much chaos, too much destruction. At one point, he may have enjoyed it. He may have slotted himself in nicely with a band of thieves and rose to power with Mick at his side. But this was wrong. Everything was wrong.

He couldn’t get who was missing out of his head. What had happened to the city’s heroes? The heroes in neighboring cities? What had happened to Barry?

He didn’t want to think about it any more than he had to, but as Mick dragged him around and Len sat on the sidelines, it was all Len could dwell on. He couldn’t help looking around at all the lowlifes surrounding him and thinking _Barry Allen would whip you into shape in two seconds flat_ , but there was no Flash zipping around the city, saving people’s lives.

What had happened to Central City then? What had happened to his home?

Helping save Sara was an obvious choice for Len. It’s what Barry would have done.

So, he did. He pushed his reservations and his spat with Mick aside and helped his crew. _You never leave a man behind_ , as he once said. He wouldn’t do it to Mick and he certainly wouldn’t do it to the rest of the idiots he was traveling with.

But something still felt wrong somehow, like something was missing. He kept waiting for something to happen, for a blur to show up and take care of this mess, but he never did. It made something nauseating settle in his stomach. It felt like a dead weight, a thousand pounds weighing him down.

So, when he got the chance to invade Oliver Queen’s old Arrow Cave with Sara, he took the chance. He hadn’t been expecting to see Barry’s Flash suit in a case in the corner with his CCPD lanyard, a STAR Labs sweatshirt, and a gold ring. 

With a closer look, he felt the breath rush out of him. He touched his fingers to the glass case, eyes glued to the gold ring that read, “Don’t run where I can’t find you, Scarlet.”

Feeling a presence behind him, he turned slowly to see Oliver standing there, wearing a frown that no doubt matched his own.

“Why do you have Barry’s things?” he found himself asking, seeing Sara move toward him out of the corner of his eye. Oliver held his gaze, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. Len already knew.

He nodded slowly and turned back to the case, fingers touching the glass. His gaze fell back to the ring with a frown. It was with all of the things that symbolized Barry’s life – the Flash, STAR Labs, the CCPD. That must mean…

“I think this is what Rip meant about us seeing our futures,” Sara commented quietly, touching a hand to his shoulder.

He swallowed roughly and nodded, letting his hand drop from the case. Barry wasn’t here in this timeline. He was gone and the world had gone to shit. Why didn’t that surprise him? The kid was good at what he did. He had a heart of gold and just wanted to help people.

The world would be a dangerous place without Barry Allen to protect it, he realized.

Turning his back to the case, he looked at Sara. “I’m ready to go home.”

Sara nodded shortly, turning back to Oliver with a small smile. Len stayed toward the back as she gave Ollie his pep talk, barely listening to the words they exchanged.

He walked back onto the ship in a daze, but found himself going to the room he’d locked Mick in before leaving. He knew Mick wouldn’t understand his intentions. He knew the arsonist wouldn’t approve of his change of heart. The truth was, they were both different now, both fighting against the instincts that had taken years to develop. Len…he was ready to be better, to try his hand at being good. But Mick…he had a one track mind and didn’t do well with sentiments. It would take him longer to change than it would for Len, even if every fibre of Len’s being was struggling against the startling change.

Len was more observant than Mick was and had a reference that the other man didn’t. He had been watching Barry Allen for quite some time, learned his ways and his weaknesses. It wasn’t until just recently that Len realized that maybe those weren’t weaknesses at all, but strengths. It was so easy for someone to hate the world and want to burn it to the ground. It was much harder, in a world so full of hatred and destruction, to fight for good or even to find something to fight for.

As they settled into their seats on the ship, with Mick sitting across the room next to Raymond, Len reached into his pocket and twirled the ring he’d swiped from the Arrow Cave between his fingers. He may not be a good guy and he may not make the best decisions, but at least now he had something to fight for. At least now, he knew what the future could be if everyone gave into violence.

“When are we heading back to 2016?” he found himself asking, avoiding Sara’s knowing gaze. He wouldn’t accept her sympathy. He didn’t do well with pity.

“Soon,” Rip acknowledged, turning his chair around. “We’ve got something to take care of first.”

Len frowned and glanced toward the floor instead of letting himself see who was looking at him. He was itching to get back home, to reassure himself that everything was still standing, to see Barry Allen save the city in that ridiculous Flash costume. But he would have to wait. He couldn’t appear too eager, too soft.

His gaze flicked up to meet Mick’s, who looked away quickly and scowled at the opposing wall. It felt like everything Len had ever known was falling apart.

Sara squeezed his arm when she took a seat beside him, offering a small smile. “He’ll be okay.”

He nodded stiffly in acknowledgement. He wasn’t sure if she was talking about Mick or Barry, but it didn’t really matter. Both men would be okay with time. Soon, Mick would get off his egotistical high horse and admit he was starting to like these people. Then they’d return to 2016’s Central City and Barry Allen would still be alive, doing what he does best and saving the city.

He could only hope that whatever they did to alter the timeline could be reversed. The world wouldn’t be the same without Central City’s hero. And Len...he could admit that neither would he.


End file.
